I believe in possibilities and I believe that we create with our thoughts and our feelings. I know that my life is a reflection of what’s going on in my mind and I rebel against that sometimes! I don’t want to admit that I’m responsible for something I don’t like, and yet I know it’s true.

The flip side is: the good stuff is a reflection of what’s going on, too! I readily accept that!

A few years ago I spent some time with a master trainer and coach who guided me into training my mind, and thus my brain, to be happy…happy just because. I’ve since set my intention that every day I would use the training to direct my mind to be happy. Not exhilaratingly happy all the time, not mountain-top blissful all the time, but candy-apple licking happy. You know, how you feel when you bite into a caramel or candy apple (caramel’s easier!). The happy you feel when you see a beautiful sunrise. That kind of happy is far easier to maintain than mountain-top happy. Hot day, double-scoop ice-cream happy, especially if it’s lemon custard!

Why do I feel the necessity to stay happy? Because life’s too short to not be happy, for one reason. Another is, I want my children and grandchildren to remember me as a happy person. My children haven’t always. They even told me once, I just didn’t know how to have fun! And they were right! I didn’t. I wasn’t taught to be happy. Several years ago, one of my gurus said, “If growth is your standard, you’ll always have ways to grow, but if joy is your standard, life will be joyful, and you’ll grow, too.” (I paraphrase!) That day joy became my quest. Oh, over the years I’ve made the attempt, but that day joy became my mantra. It still is. I just want to be happy. I want a joy-filled life. Joy, for me, is bright, hot pink. (check out my website: http://windsong.me ) I look for ways to be joyful. I believe I can be joyful even in the midst of the most tragic of times, which sounds like an oxymoron, and I haven’t achieved it yet, but I’m working on it!

Joy has brought me some amazing times! For example, A year and a half ago, I decided that my husband and I needed to be near my youngest daughter as we grew older. I told her that within five years we’d be living near her. Four months later, my husband told me that he thought we needed to move near her. (I hadn’t told him of my decision, but the Universe did!) A year later we moved, well within my five year time frame!

I like the word amazing. While I want to live in a state of mind in which amazing things are common place, I don’t want to lose the feeling of amazing. So, I’ll use it again; some amazing things have happened because of this move! First, of course, is that I didn’t have to say, “Rod, we need to move to Nebraska.” The Universe took care of that! Second, I’m now five minutes from my daughter, instead of two days. I’m also five minutes from anywhere I want to go! I love that! Third, fourth, and many more: a few years ago, I wrote five-year goals. Many of those goals have manifested with this move. I wanted a place, a house, in which there would be room for exercise and yoga. I wanted a room to use as my studio, where I could paint with abandon (I’m messy and often get paint on the floor.) I wanted a room dedicated to meditation. I wanted a room we could use for guests. And…years ago, 20 or more, so long ago that I’d forgotten about it, I wanted a pool table.

I have all those! Even the pool table! The previous owners had one, didn’t want to move it, and left it! It’s in our new basement, which is nicely finished! Thank you, Universe! And…the room in the basement that isn’t finished, which we use for storage, was plumbed for a third bathroom. I was going to ask for that for my birthday. In July, Rod decided, we needed to put in a toilet and sink for times we’re downstairs and need it! So I can ask for something else for my birthday!

Sometimes the Universe works so fast, I can’t keep up! I just want to be happy. I intend to continue having being happy as my goal. Life’s better when I’m happy.